Sorry to make a second thread...but I wanted to be more specific. I came home today hoping to be able to transfer my CPDs...I tested my water and the ammonia had become very close to 0, lighter than the reading I get out of my 5g where those fish are now, so I thought it'd be alright.
Then I tested nitrates. I have a lot of difficulty reading that test; depending on how I hold the tube up, what lighting, etc., it could be 40...or it could be anything higher, including something off the chart. I figured I'd do a small 20% water change, bring the nitrates down, and put in the fish.
Nope. I'm pretty sure I made it worse. It definitely didn't drop. So, on the advice of my friend, I did a "big" water change or probably 60+%. I retested, and I'm pretty concerned...the ammonia spiked to .50, and the nitrates have barely dropped (color is much closer to 40, if not 40).
Did I ruin it by doing a massive water change? What should I be doing? Liquid ammonia isn't the route I want to take. I'm used to doing fish-in cycles. I never lost any fish during the cycling process in my 5g.
Nitrites have been 0 for several days.
Then I tested nitrates. I have a lot of difficulty reading that test; depending on how I hold the tube up, what lighting, etc., it could be 40...or it could be anything higher, including something off the chart. I figured I'd do a small 20% water change, bring the nitrates down, and put in the fish.
Nope. I'm pretty sure I made it worse. It definitely didn't drop. So, on the advice of my friend, I did a "big" water change or probably 60+%. I retested, and I'm pretty concerned...the ammonia spiked to .50, and the nitrates have barely dropped (color is much closer to 40, if not 40).
Did I ruin it by doing a massive water change? What should I be doing? Liquid ammonia isn't the route I want to take. I'm used to doing fish-in cycles. I never lost any fish during the cycling process in my 5g.
Nitrites have been 0 for several days.